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Gone Girl Movie Review: Gone Girl starring Ben Affleck & Rosamund Pike

Posted on January 2, 2015 Written by Pinar Tarhan

(There are some spoilers.)

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck)’s beautiful wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) is missing under suspicious circumstances. Police detective Boney (Kim Dickens) and officer Gilpin (Patrick Fugit) get right on the case, with Boney giving Nick the benefit of the doubt and Gilpin ready to blame Dunne.

As the audience we’re neither with Boney nor Gilpin: if he did it, it’s too obvious. If he’s innocent, also too obvious. But we know it’s a David Fincher movie, and it will probably not be black and white. And expectedly, things turn out to be all shades of grey:

While Nick tries to manage his in-laws and the media reaction with the help of his twin sister Go, we see he’s not exactly the doting husband he wants others to believe. He seems clueless about his wife’s daily activities, friends or diary, and to top of it all, he’s having an affair with a 20-year-old (and going to great lengths to hide it from others).

From the beginning of the movie, we have some flashbacks, with the voice-over from Amy, guiding us through their relationship, from the great start to troubling times, until we see Nick’s violent and dangerous side. And around the time cops are sure Nick’s behind her disappearance, and possibly murder, we hear this brilliant line from Amy:

“I’m so much happier now that I’m dead.”

So yes, she’s making a run for it to make Nick pay for being a lying, cheating bastard. And if you think she is taking things too far, just wait till you see how much further she’s willing to go, and how she handles her back-up plans…

Gone Girl is one crazy, psychotic mystery/thriller/drama that might make you question certain things in life, like how well you actually know the people you are with, how dangerous certain kinds of people can be and well, whether or not getting married is a sane idea in the first place.

Despite the original elements in its story, and some seriously fantastic acting from Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl is far from a smooth, fast ride. I’m aware that this was intentional, but the unevenness in pacing created moments, at least for me, where I struggled to stay engaged in the movie. It flows faster and better once we find out what Amy is up to, and how truly disturbed and calculating she is, but until then, I kept wishing some scenes were left in the editing room.

Because no matter how different and captivating a movie is, 149 minutes isn’t generally the amount I’m ready to give to a mystery/ drama/ thriller. Well-done epic movies? Sure. A decent piece in a trilogy where you don’t have the chance to get bored because every scene (and interaction) is necessary? Yeah.

But for me, Gone Girl would be even better at 139 minutes. Hell, at 129 or a little less, I could have jumped at the “masterpiece” wagon.

Because when a film is rated at 8.3 on IMDB (already grabbing a place on the site’s 250 best movies list) and has earned more than 350 million dollars at the box office against its 61 million budget, you want to be blown away by every second of the movie. There’s no place for boredom.

Call me sentimental, traditional or whatever, but I still prefer Se7en. At a little over 2 hours, it is tighter, creepier and has the more satisfactory ending. (Se7en is also on IMDB 250 and rated over 8 (8.7.,to be exact)-hence the comparison).

And the problem is with establishing your “villain” to be so brilliant is this haunting question: didn’t she have anything better to do with that Harvard degree and brain of hers than to take revenge? No attempts at world-domination? Trying to save the world or destroy it? And why let herself stoop to such a level if she is so awesome? Isn’t pretending to be someone else to find yourself a partner something losers, or at least very irrational people do?

Her motives and actions don’t match the IQ and OCD-thinking we’re given, and that’s another con if you think about the movie too much.

That said, I love Fincher, and this was a solid movie. But worth the rating and the box office-smashing? Not to me.

How did you feel about the movie? Please let me know in the comments.

Fun Gone Girl Trivia

The movie was written by Gillian Flynn, who adapted it from her own novel.
Scoot McNairy, our lovely protagonist from Monsters, plays one of Amy’s victims.
Director David Fincher (Fight Club), while mainly known for his dark mystery/thrillers (Se7en, Zodiac, Panic Room, The Game) has also found huge success with dramas (The Social Network, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.)
In the shooting script, Nick Dunne is mentioned to be in his 30s. Ben Affleck is in his early 40s.
Some of Rosamund Pike’s films include Pride and Prejudice, Jack Reacher, Surrogates and Fracture.

Also on Ben Affleck

State of Play starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel Mcadams and Helen Mirren

The Company Men starring Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello & Kevin Costner

Also on Rosamund Pike

Surrogates starring Bruce Willis, Rosamund Pike & Radha Mitchell

Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen

Fracture starring Ryan Gosling & Anthony Hopkins

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Before Midnight starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy: The Sequel I’d So Wanted to Like

Posted on November 2, 2014 Written by Pinar Tarhan

before midnight movie poster — Image via eksiil.net.

It’s essential to remember where we are coming from, and before diving straight into my review, I want to talk a bit about the two movies that came before. But you can head straight to the Before Midnight part if you like. Just scroll down a bit;)

Before Sunrise: A Romantic Haven for The Realistic Romantic

In 1995, Jesse and Celine met on a train, and connected like they haven’t connected with anyone. They were both cute, young (in their early 20s) and, as much as Jesse was more obviously so, romantic. They got along so well, in fact, Jesse didn’t want to get off at his temporary station in Vienna (he was flying back home the next day) so he persuaded Celine to get off with him and spend the day/night in Vienna (Before Sunrise). You can read a more thorough, spoiler-free review here.

Of course Celine and Jesse fell in love during their spontaneous and romantic day, and we fell in love with their story (as well as the city.) Now, I’ll spoil the ending, so you might want to avoid this post if you haven’t seen Before Sunrise.

Hell, you shouldn’t be here if you haven’t seen Before Sunset (sequel to Before Sunrise, which we’ll talk about shortly). But please do come back after you’ve seen it.

OK, so Before Sunrise has a semi-happy, semi-vague ending. Celine and Jesse agree not to exchange numbers or addresses (which is pretty dumb and naive, considering how they felt about each other), but to meet in Vienna in six months. They say their goodbyes and go on their separate ways. But don’t get me wrong, Before Sunrise is one of my favorite films, and I pretty much love everything about it.

Before Sunset: A Little Darker, More Realistic and Just As Good Sequel

Come 2004, we get Before Sunset, the sequel. This is where we are disappointed in the beginning to find out that that planned meeting never happened. Jesse has gone on to publish a bestseller about their day in Vienna, and is on a book tour in Paris, which is where Celine lives. Celine drops by at his book signing, and from then on, the movie is about them catching up 9 years later.

As they mostly walk around Paris, we learn what they’ve been up to. Professionally, they’ve chased their ideals. Romantically, they’re a mess. Celine is in a kind of relationship with a guy she doesn’t care much about. Jesse is unhappily married with a young son; he would probably have bolted if not for him.

Here, because they are in their mid-30s, things are, or at least seem to be, a bit bleak. And not just because of their current disappointing relationships, but because we learn they couldn’t meet at their designated time and that they still have feelings for each other.

The ending is still a bit vague, but basically, this time we kind of, sort of know they stayed together. OK, let me put this way: we guess they stayed together at that moment, but we aren’t sure if it lasted. Well, we weren’t sure for 9 years, until Before Midnight came out.

Before Midnight: Bleak, Hostile, Insensitive, Bitchy, Toxic – Is this the sequel about Celine and Jesse’s dumber, more aggressive and ultra insensitive clones?

I love Before Sunrise to bits, and in some ways, I love Before Sunset even more because it seems more realistic and sincere. It’s easy to relate to the disappointments and missed opportunities and what-ifs of being a grown-up.

The dialogue also sounds more natural than the first movie. Director/writer Richard Linklater, and co-writers/lead actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have done splendid jobs capturing a genuine, second part of a love story.

Before Midnight has a lovely trailer. It looks like you’ll look into the marriage of one of our favorite couples in movie history, and what years have done to their relationship (we know it has been years because they have kids and they’re on vacation together as a family).

And it starts well enough: Jesse is at the airport saying goodbye to his now teenage son Hank who has spent the summer in Greece with them. Then it takes a while we can get some quality time with just Celine and Jesse. Sure, it’s just them talking in the car while their twin girls sleep at the back of the car but it’s more talking at each other and making jokes about their kids instead of really sharing – not the type of Jesse and Celine exchanges we’ve gotten used to. Yes, we get it. They are married. Things are different. But are you really ready for just how much things have changed?

Then they’re back around the writer’s residence, Jesse talking to his friends, and Celine helping out in the kitchen (Celine in the kitchen???) and then it’s everyone at the house having dinner together. The stuff our duo would discuss among themselves is discussed together here, where Celine does her usual (in this movie!) putting-Jesse-down routine.

So 35 minutes in, and they still haven’t taken a walk around town just the two of them.

OK, about 47 minutes in or so, we’re finally with the two of them, only their conversation revolves mostly around their kids, and Celine’s insecurities. There are some delightful moments and smiles, but it’s very limited.

After a few minutes of Before-Sunrisey moments, we go to the hotel Celine was so reluctant to go to, and all hell breaks lose. This is where the movie puts me further off long-lasting relationships and having kids. This where I say forever goodbye to the Celine and Jesse I know, wishing I can forget this movie, so that I watch the first two movies again, without being haunted by this one.

Remember that beautiful scene by the fountain, little after dawn, in Before Sunrise where Celine was talking about how she’d grow to love someone more after she has gotten to know them entirely…Well, turns out, she just grows to resent them. Yay! Celine is another woman who has grown to resent her husband who shockingly didn’t change at all.

Now, I’m not saying I’m super awesome and Celine’s a bitch. We all have our own demons, problems and neuroses. But Celine here is making me miss Ally McBeal; and at least Ally was likeable and well-meaning most of the time. And she was funnier than she was irritating.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t head over heels with Jesse either. The last thing I want is a guy with a bitchy ex-wife and a teenage son, who plans a whole summer according to his needs, doesn’t include loyalty in his definition of being fully committed and who openly checks out younger, perkier women who happen to be dating his friend!

It’s just that next to Celine, he wins the lesser of two evils award.

I’m not saying I hated it. It had its moments. It had the trademark gorgeous scenery of a foreign country. But it didn’t have passion or romance. It didn’t have faith in the relationship and love story we grew up to love. There was no respect on Celine’s part, and don’t get me started about their lackluster ideas of being fully committed to each other…

So to sum it up all three movies’ reviews:

During Before Sunrise, you want to be Celine or Jesse.

During Before Sunset, you hope you don’t miss out on chances, and you wish you have the guts to follow your heart if you do happen to miss out on chances. You still don’t mind being Jesse or Celine.

During Before Midnight, you just want to go to Greece.

And I really didn’t want them to stay together, because that relationship became as harmful as toxic waste. I’m not some naive romantic that expects everything to be perfect. But I do expect an insult-free, loyal, passionate and respectful relationship. Otherwise, what the hell is the point? Speed had more romance than Before Midnight, for crying out loud!

This is a good, decent, honest movie. It’s just a highly disappointing sequel.

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Recommended Movies: Strangers Falling in Love in One Day

Falling Overnight

Forget Me Not

Monsters– with a sci-fi angle

Also on Ethan Hawke

Brooklyn’s Finest starring Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle

Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke

Actors and Literature: Ethan Hawke, Hugh Laurie and Viggo Mortensen

Reality Bites starring Ethan Hawke, Winona Ryder and Ben Stiller

Alias TV Show starring Jennifer Garner, Michael Vartan, Bradley Cooper and Victor Garber

Your Sister’s Sister starring Emily Blunt, Mark Duplass and Rosemarie DeWitt: Funny, Heartfelt and Adorable

Posted on January 31, 2014 Written by ripitup

Your Sister’s Sister is a lovely low-budget drama/comedy written and directed by Lynn Shelton. This 2011 film stars Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie Dewitt, and is funnier and more original than the trailer suggests. Oh, and it’s very emotional, naturally-acted and should not be dismissed as a chick flick (not that there aren’t some great chick flicks that I love, and I refuse to use it as a derogatory term, since I am a chick and I love certain romantic flicks).

Let’s move on the plot:

Jack (Mark Duplass) is still depressed a year after the death of his brother so his best friend Iris (Emily Blunt), who also happens to be the ex of the dead brother, tells him to go to her family’s remote cabin to sort himself out. The plan gets sidetracked when he finds Iris’ half sister Hannah (Rosemarie Dewitt) there, trying to get over the break-up with her girlfriend.

They get along fabulously, drink a lot, and end up in bed together. The next day Iris shows up, and a panicked Jack tries to convince Hannah to keep it a secret. Hannah can’t understand why they need to, especially since Jack claims to have no feelings for Iris. But when Iris confides in Hannah that she might be in love with Jack, she agrees.

But of course the secret will eventually come out, cause more secrets to be spilled and things will get very emotional.

As I said, the movie is extremely sweet, honest, entertaining and emotional. At times it’s funny too, but I’d say it’s more emotional drama than romantic comedy.

Give it a shot. It also has some hilarious, but very logical tips when it comes to how to handle your family and romantic relationships.

Solomon and Gaenor starring Ioan Gruffudd & Nia Roberts: A Period Love Story

Posted on August 14, 2013 Written by ripitup

Solomon and Gaenor starring Ioan Gruffudd & Nia Roberts. Image via movies.zap2it.com.

Detailed Plot (Minor Spoilers)

1911, Whales.

Solomon (Ioan Gruffudd) is a young Jewish man living with his family, working as a packman for his father’s cotton shop and getting a bit fed up with the strict rules of the religion and attitudes of his family.

It’s an era where most people are not doing well. Welsh men work the mines and the Welsh and Jews just tolerate each other. Not that they are a fan of The English, either.

So when Solomon runs into a lovely Welsh girl named Gaenor (Nia Roberts) during one of his door-to-door runs, he introduces himself as Sam Livingston, an English packman. She is soon lured by his gentle manners and attention, and they start seeing each other.

While her brother isn’t thrilled, Gaenor is certain that Solomon is serious so Gaenor sleeps with him. She wants to meet his family, but he keeps making excuses- knowing his family would never accept a non-Jew.

It all goes well until she becomes pregnant. Solomon doesn’t know, and he hasn’t asked her to get married or meet his parents. So she leaves him. She also has to bear the reaction of her church and his father insists she married the guy. She’ rather give the baby away then be with a guy who doesn’t seem to love her properly.

Solomon does his best to see her, despite the violent reactions of his brothers. Upon his insistence, she searches for his secret and finally confronts him.

He is afraid to lose his family, but also doesn’t want to lose Gaenor.

Running away seems to be only option, but friends and family provide obstacles that will bear tragic results…

Solomon & Gaenor, Ioan Gruffudd — Image via allmovies.com.

Love vs. Prejudice, Society, Family & Religion

Solomon and Gaenor is a strange love story. I say strange because like its characters, it comes and goes between daring and shy, subtle and obvious, conventional and understanding (though Solomon’s family is strictly set on the prejudiced mode).

Solomon’s lying about his name and backgrounds is a form of rebelling to the mutual prejudice in the town as well his parents’ unflexible lifestyle. While it isn’t nice to lie to Gaenor, I can sympathize with why he did in the beginning. She probably wouldn’t have been that open to dating a Jew, and even if she was open-minded enough, her parents wouldn’t let probably let her. And she’d be more inclined to listen.

But of course it isn’t fair for Gaenor, who has a mind of her own despite the traditions and conventions of the era and religion she belongs to. It was her choice to sleep with Solomon before they were engaged or something, but then again she didn’t have any reason to believe she wouldn’t be.

Solomon should have at least explained her the situation before they got intimately involved, but hey there is only so much maturity in him before his infatuation and hormones get in the way.

That’s the problem with semi-conformity. If he had the nerve to tell her the truth, stand up to his parents (and face the consequences of rejection), the story would have had a different kind of ending.

And while it is not easy losing your family, you should remember Solomon was never that happy with them, didn’t quite belong. It was heart-breaking when his father wouldn’t even include him in a prayer – because hey, he is an adult.

And remember, in the end he was sort of excluded anyway, and he did choose to risk whatever is left of their support, as well his life, to be with her at the end.

I was surprised by, and towards the end respected, Gaenor’s father. Considering his reaction to the red dress, I semi-expected him to shun her and throw her to the street after she got pregnant. But he encouraged marriage to the father, if she wanted to keep the baby. Considering the era, he was pretty damn cool about it in the long run. So was her mom, supporting her decision if she didn’t want the guy.

Her brother was a bit of a jerk, but Solomon did deserve some of it. 1911 or 2013 – I can’t imagine too many brothers reacting differently regardless of personality or education. Here’s a dude who lied to and impregnated her sister and wasn’t begging for marriage (as far as he knew)…

Weird as it might be when it comes to some of the character reactions, it is for the most part a decent and lovely story about following your heart and being your own person despite the society’s and family’s dictation and having to suffer through the consequences – as well as the consequences of bad timing and bad luck.

It’s well worth a watch if you love tragic love stories that has some believable obstacles and good actors. And yes, I’ll go the shallow route here and admit I don’t exactly blame Gaenor for not controlling herself. Ioan Gruffudd is his usual gorgeous self in the movie, and his character (especially before we saw his timid, conflicted side) was quite lovely.

Made in 1999, written and directed by Paul Morrison. Was nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film – though the majority of the film is in English, realistically there’s also Yiddish and Welsh.